The Taiwan Culinary Exhibition wrapped up Aug. 13 at Taipei World Trade Center, with some 150,000 visitors attending the four-day event aimed at spotlighting local delicacies, food culture and produce, according to organizer Taiwan Visitors Association.
 
Supported by the Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the 27th edition of the annual expo featured a total of 620 booths by Taiwan and overseas food and kitchenware producers, hotels and restaurants as well as local and central government agencies. It also included competitions for aspiring chefs, cooking classes and talks by influential culinary figures, including baker Chen Yao-hsun, who led the winning team at the 2017 The World of Bread competition in France.
 
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice President Chen Chien-jen said that Taiwan is renowned for its top-quality ingredients spanning all manner of fruits, vegetables, meat and seafood. This abundance of exceptional produce has fostered a vibrant culinary sector, he added.
 
The launch last year of the inaugural Michelin Guide Taipei marked global recognition of this fact and signified the city’s emergence as one of the great dining destinations, Chen said. A total of 20 restaurants received between one and three stars in the guide.
 
According to the vice president, Taiwan’s food culture is expected to play a central role in bolstering tourism industry development. The annual exhibition provides a platform for fostering awareness of local culinary offerings as well as building the reputation of Taiwan brands and products overseas, he said.
 
A major highlight of this year’s show was a seminar by Michelin-starred chefs Ken Chan and Matt Chen. The pair, who runs the three-star Le Palais restaurant at Taipei Palais de Chine Hotel, discussed their culinary philosophy and careers.
 
Another popular portion of the event spotlighted products and offerings at Taiwan’s growing number of halal-certified hotels and restaurants. Expanding trade and tourism exchanges with Muslim countries is a major target of the government’s New Southbound Policy.
 
A key plank in the government’s national development strategy, the NSP seeks to enhance Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand. (KWS-E)